Marking device



P. s( ABRAMS Aug. 5, 1969 MARKING DEVICE Filed May 1. 1967 A TTOPNEYSUnited States Patent O 3,459,484 MARKING DEVICE Paul S. Abrams, 25830Berkley, Huntington Woods, Mich. 48070 Filed May 1, 1967, Ser. No.635,215 Int. Cl. B43k 5/00; A46b 11/04; A471 13/22 U.S. Cl. 401--206 8Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A production marking device comprisinga barrel with an ink reservoir, an elongated feed member having an axialpassage with a transverse inlet and an outlet and mounted to the barrelfor reciprocal movement in a variable stroke between a retractedposition where the inlet registers with the reservoir to admit ink intothe passage and an extended position where the inlet is sealingly shutoff from the reservoir. A porous nib attached to the feed memberadjacent the outlet of the axial passage receives a metered quantity ofink during a marking stroke which is proportional to the length of thestroke.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This inventionrelates to marking devices and more specifically to a production markingdevice for imprinting an ink reservoir, an elongated feed member havingan loaded feed member arranged to open and close fluid communicationbetween the ink reservoir and the nib during a marking stroke.

Description of the prior art Marking devices for producing an ink colorspot on metal parts in production lines are widely employed as a meansfor identifying the parts. Metal parts are best marked with an opaque,pigmented ink because of their highly visible characteristics. Someconventional marking devices for marking non-metal components, utilize aporous writing nib and a reservoir filled with an absorbent material fortransferring the marking fluid from the reservoir to the writing nib.The problem with this arrangement in a high speed production lines isthat the marking fluid can not be transferred from the reservoir to themarking nib in a sufficient quantity and at a rate to accomodate thehigh-speed marking cycle.

To overcome this ink transfer problem some marking devices of the priorart employed for marking metal parts utilize a felt marking nib attachedto a feed member which is iluidly connected to a reservoir and withvalve means arranged to discharge a metered quantity of iluid from thereservoir directly to the marking nib during each marking stroke. Theproblem with marking devices of the priorart which employ valve means isthat pigmented inks cause such valves to clog, thereby reducing the flowfrom the reservoir to the marking nib. Instead of a uniform flow, theink is transferred in lblobs. It is a broad purpose of the presentinvention to provide a production marking device having improved,non-clogging valve means for opening and closing communication betweenthe reservoir and the marking nib to channel a precise quantity of inkto the nib during each marking stroke.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, which will subsequently be described in greater detail,comprises an elongated barrel having a vented cap at one end to permitfilling of the reservoir and an outlet at the opposite end with anannular guide member having an annular seat mounted in the outlet. Anelongated feed "ice member having an axial feed passage is mounted forreciprocal movement in the guide means. The feed member has an enlargedhead portion disposed within the reservoir which is normally biasedtoward the seat is a spring bias means with the feed member in anextended position.

A transverse marking fluid inlet is formed in the feed member adjacentthe enlarged head and a nib holder for a felt nib is mounted on theextended end of the feed member for marking a horizontal surface. Thetransverse inlet is normally iluidly sealed from the ink reservoir whenthe feed member is in its extended position. When the nib is pressed ina marking stroke to produce an axial movement of the feed member towarda retracted position, the transverse inlet registers with the reservoirto admit a charge of marking fluid into the feed passage which channelsit to the nib. When the pressing force on the nib is released, the feedmember returns to its extended position to close off uid communicationbetween the feed passage and the reservoir.

By adjusting the stroke of the feed member, the quantity of markingfluid admitted into the feed passage for the nib can be very preciselycontrolled. The stroke is normally adjusted to accommodate the size ofthe nib and the speed of the production line.

An alternative embodiment of the invention contemplates a side markingdevice with a nib arranged to mark the vertical surface of a metal part.In this form of the invention, the axis of reciprocation of the feedmember is at right angles to the axis of the barrel which is normallysupported in an upright position with the refill cap and adjustable airvent means extending upwardly from the Valve means.

The preferred marking devices provide a number of special advantagesover ink marking devices of the prior art employing valve means foropening and closing communication between the ink reservoir and themarking nib. Each production part is marked uniformly, economically andwithout dripping between cycles. The precise quantity of ink meteredduring each marking stroke can be precisely adjusted. A maximum numberof marks can be made with a minimum quantity of ink. The preferredmarking devices provides from 2,000l to 4,000 1/2 inch marks per ounceof ink. The adjustable air vent in the barrel cap prevents vacuum lockduring high-speed, long-run production marking. In addition, theimproved marking device readily lends itself to a wide variety ofactuating means, such as cams, air cylinders, manual methods and variousremote signalling devices. The marking nib produces a mark on theinitial stroke even after intervals of a half hour or more betweenstrokes.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide aproduction marking device for marking metal parts with a pigmented inkand having a reservoir adapted to contain a marking lluid, meanssupporting a marking nib and valve means actauted by a marking stroke toopen fluid communication between the reservoir and the marking nib, andclose fluid communication between the reservoir and the nib at thecompletion of the marking stroke.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved inkmarking device for high-speed production marking having a porous nibsupported to a feed member for reciprocation along an axis in a markingstroke between positions wherein valve means open and close uidcommunication between the feed member and a iluid reservoir tointermittently channel marking fluid to the nib.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide amarking device comprising a barrel having a fluid reservoir adapted tocontain a supply of marking fluid and 'a fluid outlet, guide meansmounted in said fluid outlet, and an elongated rigid feed membersupported in said guide means for reciprocal movement, the feed memberhaving an axial fluid passage connecting a transverse inlet and anoutlet axially spaced from said transverse inlet, the feed member beingmovable between a retracted position wherein the transverse inletregisters with the reservoir to provide fluid communication between thereservoir and the feed passage, and an extended position wherein fluidcommunication between the reservoir and the feed passage is sealinglyshut off.

Still further objects and advantages of the present invention willreadily occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertainsupon reference to the following detailed description.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The description referes to the accompanyingdrawings in which like reference characters refer to like partsthroughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal, sectional view through an ink marking deviceillustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention and adapted tomark a horizontal surface;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional View through a marking device adaptedto mark a vertical surface and illustrating an alternative embodiment ofthe invention; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the marking device of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, apreferred marking device is illustrated in FIG. l for marking ahorizontal surface and comprises an elongated barrel 12 formed of atubular section with the interior of the barrel defining a reservoir 14for containing a quantity of a suitable marking fluid such as apigmented ink. The upper end of the barrel 12 is closed off by a cap 16which is threadably engaged to the barrel with an annular seal 18providing a fluid type connection between the cap 16 and the barrel 12.An axial bore 20 through the cap 16 is closed off by a vent member 22having an air vent 24 in communication with bore 20 and a valve member26 engaged with the member 22 to control the quantity of air which isadmitted into the reservoir. The valve 26 is normally adjusted so thatthe rate of air which is admitted accommodates the rate at which themarking fluid is consumed.

An 'annular valve body 28 is threadably engaged with the lower end ofthe barrel 12 and has an axial bore 30 functioning as guide means for anelongated feed member 32. The feed member 32 has an enlarged headportion 34 disposed within the reservoir 14 and which engages a pair ofaxially directed guide sections 36 so that the feed member 32 moves inan axial stroke.

The valve body 28 has an annular seat 38 at the upper end of the bore 30arranged so that the head 34 moves toward and away from the seat 38. Anannular seal 40 is disposed between the head 34 and the seal 38 toprovide a fluid tight seal between the valve body 28 and the head 34when the feed member is in its extended position.

The feed member 32 has an axial passage 42 extending from its lower endand terminating near its upper end with a transverse inlet 44. Thetransverse inlet 44 is formed below the head 34 and arranged so thatwhen the feed member 32 is in an extended position, fluid communicationbetween the reservoir 14 and the fluid passage 42 is shut off. However,when the feed member 32 is in the retracted position with the head 34etxended upwardly into the reservoir 14 to a position so that the inlet44 registers within the reservoir 14, fluid communication is opened upbetween the reservoir 14 and the passage 42 to admit a quantity ofmarking fluid.

A second transverse inlet 46 is axially spaced from the transverse inlet44 permits a greater charge of fluid to be admitted into the passage 42when the stroke of the feed member 32 is such that the inlet 46registers with the reservoir 14.

An annular seal 48 and a packing gland nut 50 provide a fluid tight sealbetween the lower end of the valve body and the feed member 32.

An adjusting nut 52 is threadably mounted on the feed member 32 and ismovable toward and away from the packing gland nut 50 to a selectedposition defining the stroke of the feed member 32.

A helical compression spring 54 is wrapped around the feed member 32 andacts between the nut 50 and the adjusting nut 52 to normally bias thefeed member 32 toward its extended position.

An annular nib holder 56 is threadably attached to the extended end ofthe feed member 32 and has an axial bore 58 which is preferably threadedat its lower end to engage a porous felt marking nib 60.

A cylindrical sleeve 62 is threadably engaged to the lower end of thevalve body 28 and extends down a sufficient distance to function as ashield for the components between the nib holder 56 and the reservoir12.

In operation, the feed member 32 is normally in its extended positionillustrated in FIG. l between marking strokes and with fluidcommunication shut off between the reservoir 14 and the iluid passage42. A marking stroke is initiated by pressure applied between the metalpart which is to be marketed and the nib to produce an axial upwardforce on the feed member 32 which is retracted toward the reservoir 14until the transverse inlet 44 registers with the reservoir 14. Aquantity of fluid is admitted into the feed passage 42 which ischanneled downwardly to the nib 60. Upon release of the pressure on thenib 60, the feed member 32 returns to its extended position so thatfluid communication between the transverse inlet 44 and the reservoir 14is sealingly shut off. Thus, fluid is only admitted into the feedpassage 42 during a marking stroke. By adjusting the nut 52, thequantity of fluid admitted during a marking stroke into the feed passage42 c'an be very precisely adjusted. In addition, by adjusting the airvent valve 26, the quantity of air admitted into the reservoir 14 toreplace the fluid which is consumed during the marking operation can becontrolled so that a vacuum is not created within the reservoir 14 torestrict a free flow into the passage 42.

Preferably, the components of the marking device 10 are made fromsuitable rust-proof materials such as aluminum and the like to provide along and reliable marking life. The valve arrangement of the improvedmarking device is particularly adapted to accommodate pigmented inksince it does not become clogged when employing inks of this type as amarking agent.

FIG. 2 shows a marking device illustrating an alternative embodiment ofthe present invention for marking a generally vertical surface. Themarking device 64 is similar to the marking device 10 and includes abarrel 66 having a reservoir 68 with its upper end closed off by a capmember 70. Air vent means 72 carried by the cap 70 admit air into thereservoir 68 in the manner described with reference to the markingdevice 10.

A right angle adaptor block 74 is threadably attached to the lower endof the barrel 66 and supports an annular valve body member 76 having anaxial guide bore 78 for supporting an elongated feed member 80 forreciprocal movement along an axis perpendicular to the axis. The feedmember has an axial feed passage 82 with an inner end terminating at atransverse inlet 84. Inlet 32 is movable toward and away from positionsopening and closing fluid communication with the reservoir 68. Anenlarged head 86 of the feed member 80 acts against an annular seat 88with an annular seal 90 mounted on valve body 76 to define the fullyextended position of feed member 80.

An annular packing gland nut 91 threadably engaged with the valve body76 retains an annular seal 92 in a position to provide a fluid tightseal between the feed member 80 and the valve body 76 as the feed memberreciprocates in a marking stroke. An adjustable nut 94 threadablymounted on the feed member 80 retains a helical compression spring 96which is wrapped around the feed member 80. The spring 96 acts betweenthe nuts 91 and 9'4 to normally maintain the feed member 80 in anextended position.

An annular nib holder 98 attached to the extended end of the feed member80 carries a porous marking nib 100.

An elongated tubular sleeve 102 engaged to the valve body 76 acts as ashield for the components of the marking device between the adaptorblock 74 and the nib holder 98.

In operation, the marking device 64 functions in a manner essentiallysimilar to the operation of the marking device 10. A pressure applied onthe nib 100 moves the feed member 80 in an axial stroke toward the leftuntil the head 86 is unseated and the transverse inlet 84 is fluidlyregistered within the reservoir 68 to admit a predetermined quantity ofmarking uid into the feed passage 82. The passage 82 channels themarking fluid to the nib 100 wherein the fluid is marked on the metalpart which is to be identified. Upon release of the axial pressure onthe nib 100, the feed member 80 returns to its extended position so thatfluid communication between the reservoir 68 and the feed passage 82 issealingly shut off as the head 86 is seated against the annular seal 90.By adjusting the nut 94 the quantity of fluid admitted from thereservoir 68 to the nib 100 during each marking stroke can be preciselyadjusted.

Although I have described but two preferred embodiments of my invention,it is to be understood that various changes and revisions can be madetherein without departing from the Sprit of the invention as expressedin the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A marking device, comprising:

(a) a housing deiining a fluid reservoir adapted to contain a supply ofmarking fluid and having a fluid outlet;

(b) a valve body mounted in said fluid outlet having a bore whichconstitutes a guide means and a counterbore extending into saidreservoir, said valve body body having an opening connecting saidreservoir with said counterbore, said bore and counterbore forming avalve seat at their union,

(c) a feed member supported in said guide means for reciprocal movementalong an axis, said feed member having an axial fluid pasagewayconnecting a transverse inlet and an outlet axially spaced from saidtransverse inlet, said feed member being axially movable between aretracted position wherein said transverse inlet registers with saidreservoir through said opening to open uid communication between saidreservoir and said uid passage, and an extended position wherein uidcommunication between said transverse inlet and said reservoir issealingly closed;

(d) an enlarged head portion on said feed member engagable with saidvalve seat for limiting the extended position of said feed member andseal means disposed intermediate said enlarged head portion and saidvalve body to seal said reservoir from said transverse inlet when saidfeed memberis in an extended position.

2. The marking device as defined in claim 1, wherein the quantity ofmarking fluid admitted into said feed passage during a marking stroke isa function of the length of said stroke, and including means for varyingthe stroke of said feed member.

3. The marking device as defined in claim 2, wherein said guide meansincludes an abutment portion and including a stop member mounted on saidfeed member and movable to a selected axial position with respect tosaid abutment portion to vary the stroke of said feed member.

4. The marking device as 4defined in claim 3, and including a nib holdermounted on said feed member adjacent said outlet, said nib holder havingan axial bore forming an axial extension of said fiuid passage andadapted to retain a portion of said nib Within said bore.

5. The marking 4device as defined in claim 1, wherein said fluidreservoir means comprises an elongated tubular section symmetricallyformed about an axis and said feed member is supported for reciprocalmovement about an axis perpendicular to the axis of said tubularsection.

6. The marking device as defined in claim 5 wherein the end of saidtubular section opposite said outlet has a cap member provided withadjustable air vent means.

7. The marking device as defined in claim 1 and including a holdermember mounting said marking nib to said feed member, a tubular memberfixed to said hous- ,ing and extending axially to encompass said feedmember, said holder member and said marking nib for a portion of theaxial length thereof, said tubular member being radially spaced fromsaid marking nib and said holder member being provided with an endportion which disposed intermediate said marking nib and said tubularmember.

8. The marking device as defined in claim 1 in which said marking nib,and said feed member move axially at substantially a right angle withrespect to said housing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,069,673 2/ 1937 Lima 15-569 XR2,320,823 6/ 1943 Kingson 15-569 2,624,902 1/ 1953 Soldner 15-5692,643,409 6/ 1953 Hempel et al. 15-569 2,783,488 3/1957 Jockers 15-5693,032,802 5/ 1962 Kusama 15-569 XR BILLY I. WILHITE, Primary ExaminerROBERT I. SMITH, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

ggo UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,459,484 Dated August 5, 1969 Inventor(s) `Paul S Abrams It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

IN THE SPECIFICATION Column l, line 29, delete "reservoir, an elongatedfeed member having an" and insert therefore --spot on a metal workpieceand having a spring.

IN THE CLAIMS Claim l, line 42 delete "body" Claim '7, line 36,following "which, insert SIGNED AND SEALED MAY 1 9 1970 .(sEAL) Amst:

EdwardM. Flewhr II wmrm E. sown-ER. Jn,

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patenti

